TOC Part 2
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Alt-Metropolis – 1971
“Freak”
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“Mommy, what does ‘freak’ mean?”
Ellen Lane looked up to see her four-year old daughter leaning over the large lexicon, her brow knitted in concentration. That Lois was looking through the dictionary wasn’t odd; Ellen had become accustomed to Lois’s unusual aptitude for language over the past two years. No, what surprised her was the sadness in her daughter’s voice. Ellen set her magazine aside and rose to her feet.
“Why do you ask, sweetheart?” she asked cautiously, placing a gentle hand on her daughter’s back.
Lois looked up from the book with tears in her eyes. “I asked Daddy about Miss Belcanto and he thought it at me, but it didn’t feel good like when he calls me ‘Princess.’ What did he mean?”
Ellen had discovered that Lois had strong psychic abilities years ago and Lois’s knowledge of Sam’s affair caused her to click her tongue in disgust. Out of habit, Ellen immediately shoved any angry and resentful thoughts to the back of her mind, hiding them from her empathic daughter. She’d deal with Sam Lane later.
Encircling Lois in a warm hug, she focused on the love she felt for her daughter. “It means that you’re special, unique. Knowing what other people think and feel is a gift; it's something no one else can do.”
“I don’t like it. It’s noisy all the time and the pictures make me feel yucky.”
Ellen shut her eyes against the sorrow in her daughter’s words and rocked her back and forth. “I know, honey,” she whispered, “but someday, you’ll figure out how to control your special gift. People are mostly good, but we all make mistakes. You will see people as they really are, Lois – both the good and the bad – but if you try to focus on the good, you can learn to help people be their best. You are going to make the world a better place.”
Ellen wasn’t oblivious; she knew that Lois would encounter many unpleasant things in her life, things that made her heart ache, but for now, she would give her amazing child a refuge in her inevitably turbulent life. She concentrated on her feelings of love and acceptance and confidence, willing her daughter to feel them, and was rewarded when Lois’s smile of unconditional love and gratitude beamed back at her.
“I love you, Mommy,” Lois smiled.
“I know, honey. I love you, too. Now, let’s go have some chocolate ice-cream.”
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Alt-Metropolis – June 1997
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The congratulatory banner that surrounded the bullpen knocked Lois’s party hat askew as she brushed past it. She glanced at the headlines on the newspapers hanging around her desk like bunting at the Fourth of July Parade and raised her hands in acknowledgement of her coworker’s applause. She smiled, clearly pleased with both the results of her hard work and the accolades from her peers.
Perry White clapped along with the rest of the Daily Planet staffers, while James Olson handed out flutes of champagne. As Lois turned to accept a glass from the young owner of the Planet, Perry raised his glass in salute. When the room quieted down he bellowed, “To Lois Lane. On behalf of the good citizens of Metropolis, and from your old Editor-in-Chief, let me be the first to say congratulations and thank you for a job well done. City Hall and the streets of Metropolis are a safer place now that Harrison and his computer virus have been put out of commission.”
Lois raised her own glass and blushed at the chorus of “hear, hear!” and other well wishes that followed Perry’s little speech. This was the third time they’d broken out the bubbly since she’d returned to the Daily Planet and it felt wonderful. She sipped her drink and basked in the attention; it was so good to have her life back.
Catherine Grant leaned against a pillar and raised her glass to indicate the various front-page headlines strewn about the office. “Well, Lois. In the past two months, you’ve exposed the second-richest man in the world as a crime lord and brought his organization down single-handedly.”
“Not to mention exposing half a dozen highly illegal scientific projects sponsored by Luthor,” Eduardo piped in.
James Olson nodded and lifted his glass in salute. “You’ve also exposed Congressman Harrington as being on the take.”
“Saved the ‘smart-kids’ *and* caught a crazed hypnotist murderess,” completed Cat. “What is tomorrow’s shocking headline going to read?”
The room’s excited chatter stilled as all attention focused on Lois. She smiled and sipped her drink again before answering. “Well, I’ve heard some allegations of corruption in the Mayor’s office, so…”
Perry White stood up abruptly, choking on his champagne as Lois smirked. James pounded on his back as Perry coughed and started to protest. When Lois started giggling, Perry pointed an accusatory finger in her direction.
“Are you trying to do your old Mayor in?”
“Just kidding, Perry. I actually hear that the Mayor wouldn’t stand for those kinds of shenanigans in his office. He’s apparently a man of impeccable integrity and moral standing.”
“You’re darn tootin’”
One of her colleagues – she thought his name was Samuel – wasn’t satisfied with her response and called out, “Come on, Lane. Give us a hint.”
“Well, I can tell you that … you can read all about it in the morning edition of the Daily Planet.”
The Daily Planet staffers groaned and started to drift back to their desks. Cat and James said goodbye to Perry and then disappeared into the editor’s office before Perry set his almost full glass on the table. He reached out to tweak her cheek. “I know I’ve said it before, but it’s real good to have you back at the Planet, Honey.”
“Well, I’d say it would be better if you were the editor, but with how often you stop by, it’s almost like you’re still here.”
Perry opened his mouth and then closed it, opting instead to point at her again and give her a glare for her impertinence. “I’d better git on down to City Hall before I say something that lands me in the gossip rags.”
Lois reached up and hugged the man she considered a father before patting his arm in conciliation. “You know I’d never let that happen, Perry. You’re my best source inside the Mayor’s office. Besides, you’re doing a great job. They couldn’t have elected a better man for the position.”
“Well, I like the way you’re helping to clean up Metropolis. Keep up the good work, Darlin’.”
Lois watched as Perry headed toward the elevator before swiping the confetti off of her chair. She sat down at her desk and pulled her notebook out of her bag, ready to type up an exposé on Barbara Trevino’s plot to mine the protected rainforests of Brazil, the murder of Dr. Winninger, and Trevino and Finn’s subsequent arrests.
She settled in at her keyboard and paused to look around the newsroom. Most of her coworkers had already returned to their daily activities. She overheard Eduardo praising her ‘freakish ability’ to break stories and catch bad guys to the new intern before they both drained the last of their glasses. Lois smiled. She had come to terms with her ‘gift’ long ago and was proud of how she was using it to make the world a better place.
News reporters and staffers swirled around her and she suddenly felt isolated, a deserted island in the middle of swift currents that didn’t touch her. Her good mood wavered a little. Receiving accolades from her peers was thrilling, but she still didn’t feel like she fit in. It was a sadly familiar feeling, and it made her miss Clark all the more.
She surreptitiously pulled open her desk drawer and pushed aside her stash of chocolate bars to look at a newspaper clipping lying on the top of her special research file. It was a thick file, filled with every article either written by, or about, Clark Kent. In one sense, she’d known Clark her whole life, but until she’d regained her memory and returned to Metropolis, she’d realized how much she didn’t know. It’d been years since she’d learned how to shield herself and Lois felt that she only knew part of him anyway. Her research had helped her round out her image of the man Clark Kent had become.
The picture included with the article was a close up of Clark helping out at a freeway accident the day before he’d disappeared. Not only did it show off his good looks, but some of his compassion as well. Of course, she knew the official story of his disappearance now. After Henderson had arrested Lex Luthor, she’d run straight to Clinton Street. There had been no sign of Clark, so she’d gone to Perry White. The next morning, Perry had held a press conference to inform the world that he’d received a call informing him that Superman had gone to help another world for an indeterminate amount of time.
Lois’s relief that Clark was safe had been brief. After she’d officially come back from the dead, Lois had investigated her doppelganger in every way she could. Then she had confronted Perry about the woman. That’s when she had confirmed her theory of alternate dimensions and another Lois Lane. Clark hadn’t traveled to another planet, as Perry’s formal announcement was meant to convey. Instead, Clark had gone to the other dimension. *Her* dimension.
Lois looked again at Clark’s picture in her drawer and bit her lip, unable to suppress the now-familiar jealousy. She’d seen the Mayoral Debate news clips, witnessed the loving way the other Lois had touched Clark. The persistent emptiness gnawed at her insides as she worried that Clark might never want to come back.
Lois thought she understood what his life had been like since Superman’s debut. Clark had fought hard for acceptance and had given up so much in order to serve the people with his unique abilities. Until he’d disappeared, his loneliness had called to her. She only hoped that he would return soon and that they’d finally be able to meet face-to-face. She closed her eyes and sent a plea outward to him, wherever he might be, asking him to come back.
“Thinking about Superman again, Lois?”
Lois jumped and slammed her drawer shut at a familiar voice just behind her. She sat up straight and then spun her chair around, pretending not to hear her old friend’s comments.
“Star! How’s the gossip business?”
Star plopped down in the visitor chair next to Lois desk. She put on Lois’s party hat and smiled smugly. “The gossip business is hopping, as always – so many juicy secrets to uncover. Now, don’t change the subject. Still no word from Big Blue, huh?”
Lois brushed a piece of confetti from her skirt and sniffed primly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Star laughed. “You can’t fool me, Lois.” She leaned in conspiratorially and tapped her temple. “I always know.”
Lois held her stony expression for a second and then giggled, embarrassed at being caught. “Well, I might have been thinking about him a little.”
Star placed the party hat back on Lois’s head and set a consoling hand on her shoulder. “Everyone knows that he looked for you for a long time, Lois. He’ll be back soon and when he does, I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to see you.”
Star stood up. “So, are we still on for movie night?”
“Sure. I’ll come by at eight o’clock.”
“Actually, let’s meet at your place.”
“Why, because my couches are so comfy?” Lois joked.
“No, because your assortment of chocolate ice cream is better than mine.”
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TBC
